Dr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner (1943)

[David Thompson]

"Document 2938-PS: The German Police: Dr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner: The New Chief of the Security Police and SD [partial translation]", in Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression. Volume V: US Government Printing Office District of Columbia: 1946. pp. 605-606.

Article in The German Police [Die Deutsche Polizei] No. 10,
Berlin, 15 May 1943, page 193.

SS Gruppenfuehrer Dr. Jur. Kaltenbrunner was born as son of the lawyer Dr. Hugo Kaltenbrunner, on 4 October 1903 at Ried on Inn (near Braunau). He spent his youth in the native district of the Fuehrer, with whom his kinsfolk, originally a hereditary farming clan, had been closely connected since olden times. Later he moved with his parents to the little markettown Raab, and then to Linz on the Danube, where he attended the State Realgymnasium, and there he passed his final examination [Abritur] in 1921.

In the same year he entered the Graz Technical College, but he transferred to the study of the Law later on. His college time ended with the granting of the degree of Doctor of Law in the summer of 1926. During this time Dr. Kaltenbrunner took a leading part on the Nationalist fight of the German student body in Graz. During three semesters (1924/5) he was the Speaker of the Nationalist college students, and led at the same time, as a zealous friend and adherent of the conservative duelling attitude, a bitter fight against the endeavors of the Catholic-Christian-Social student circles, who sought to weaken national fraternities. At the same time, Dr. Kaltenbrunner showed interest in similar endeavors among students of friendly States. Among other things, he became the founder of the Bulgarian-Nationalist academical fraternity "Rodina". He spent the usual legal year as apprentice lawyer at the Linz on Danube District Court and then he worked at first at Salzburg and from 1928 on as lawyer-candidate in Linz.

Already in January 1934 Dr. Kaltenbrunner was jailed by the Dollfuss Government on account of his Nazi views and sent with other leading National Socialists into the concentration camp Kaisersteinbruch. He caused and led a hunger strike and forced the Government to dismiss 490 National Socialist prisoners. In the following year he was jailed again because of suspicion of High Treason and committed to the Courts-Martial of Wels (Upper Danube). After an investigation of many months, the accusation of High Treason collapsed, but he was condemned to 6 months' imprisonment for conspiracy [Geheimbuendelei]. Since spring 1935 Dr. Kaltenbrunner has been the leader of the Austrian SS, the right practice his profession having been suspended because of his National Socialist views. It is to his credit that in this important position he succeeded, through energetic leadership, in maintaining the unity of the Austrian SS, which he had built up, in spite of all persecution, and succeeded in committing it successfully at the right moment.

After the annexation, in which the SS was a decisive factor, he was appointed State Secretary for Security Matters on 11 March 1938 in the new National-Socialist cabinet of Dr. Seyss-Inquart. A few hours later he was able to report to Reichsfuehrer SS Heinrich Himmler, who had landed at Aspern, the Vienna airport, on 12 March 1938 3 a. m. as the first National Socialist leader that the Movement had achieved complete victory and that "The SS is in formation awaiting further orders". The Fuehrer promoted Dr. Kaltenbrunner on the day of annexation to SS Brigadefuehrer, and as leader of the SS Oberabshnitt Donau. On 11 September 1938 this was followed by his promotion to SS Gruppenfuehrer.

During the liquidation of the Austrian national government and the reorganization of Austria into Alps and Danube Districts [Reichsgaue] he was appointed Higher SS and Police Leader with the Reichsstatthalter [Reich Governors] in Vienna, Lower Danube, and Upper Danube in Corps Area [Wehrkreis] XVII, and in April 1941 he was promoted to Major General of Police.

[Max Williams]

David,
Thank you.
Kaltenbrunner was promoted to Generalleutnant d. Polizei on 15 April 1941 (with effect from 1 April 1941) not Generalmajor.
Max.